


700 Yen

by Fifthnameattempt



Category: Naruto
Genre: Gen, local elementary school teacher cant stop adopting orphaned teens, local orphan teen doesnt know how to accept a free meal, no orphans were harmed in the making of this story, several orphans consumed ramen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-05
Updated: 2020-10-05
Packaged: 2021-03-08 04:20:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,374
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26829529
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fifthnameattempt/pseuds/Fifthnameattempt
Summary: Sai doesn't know much about this man, except that he was the Rookie Nine's last pre-genin teacher. And he's one of Naruto's "precious people".Iruka doesn't know much about Sai, except that he's been teaching at the Academy for ten years and this is the first time they've met. Which means Sai trained somewhere else.__“I’m already paying for Naruto.” Iruka interrupts ... his patient smile never falters. “What’s the difference between paying for nine bowls and paying for ten?”“700 yen.”
Comments: 4
Kudos: 70





	700 Yen

**Author's Note:**

> I was wondering what Sai meeting Iruka would look like and since i don't think the show or the manga ever bothered to give it to us... here's how I see it going down. With a touch of kakairu because I'm a sucker for it and I didn't know how to end this thing otherwise.

“Don’t worry about it, Sai-kun, I’ve got this one covered.”

Hand frozen between the counter and his wallet, Sai turns to meet the friendly face beside him. He doesn’t know what to make of this man. _Iruka-sensei_. He knows very little about him and understands less. He knows _sensei_ is the proper title since the career-Chunin teaches full time at the Academy. He knows the man was the Rookie Nine’s last pre-genin teacher. He is one of Naruto’s ‘precious people’.

The man is entirely inscrutable to Sai.

“I have adequate funds to pay.” Sai hesitates only a little before refusing. He knows refusal is polite, but sometimes he does it wrong and Sakura scolds him. “You do not need to-”

“I’m already paying for Naruto.” Iruka interrupts, but it is somehow less annoying than when Naruto does the same thing. His patient smile never falters. “What’s the difference between paying for nine bowls and paying for ten?”

“700 yen.”

The sound of Iruka’s laughter is bright and easy, a mellowed mimicry of the kind Naruto belts out when Kakashi bumps into things while reading and walking. Sai smiles, but he does not understand the joke.

Iruka doesn’t know much about Naruto’s newest teammate, but the little he does know worries him. Naruto hates him, for one, which is not a good sign for the team overall. The other boy complains about the “blank space where a personality is supposed to be” and his inability to read social ques. But the bigger problem is that Sai is just around Naruto’s age, maybe a year or two older at most. Iruka’s been teaching at the Academy for more than ten years now and this is the first time they’ve met.

Which means Sai was trained somewhere else.

His laughter quiets after a moment and he observes Sai’s empty shell of a smile carefully.

“I meant my bank account won’t notice the difference.” He explains casually as he hands the correct change to Ayami on the other side of the counter. “I’m not used to being taken so literally.”

“I see.” Sai’s smile drops as he nods seriously and scribbles something in the notebook forever open at his side. “In that case, I thank you for your generosity. Perhaps…” His eyes flick up at the older man and then drop back down to the safety of the page, double checking the social protocols. “I could get the next one?”

“That’d be great!” Iruka says and really means it. Certainly, _Naruto_ had never offered to pay for a meal. He doesn’t miss Sai’s answering smile even though it’s a tiny, barely-there lift at the edge of his mouth. It’s real, though, and Iruka thinks the boy ought to let that happen more.

“Come on, boys.” Iruka pulls Naruto, now significantly too tall for it, under his shoulder. “It’s getting late and you all have an early mission tomorrow. Sai, where do you live?”

If he’s surprised by the question, the only evidence is the slightest rise of his eyebrows as he ducks under the awning, following after his teammates. “Ah, um, Birch Street and Marketplace Lane.”

“I know the place!” Iruka smiles again and gestures for the slight boy to follow, squeezing Naruto’s shoulders gently before continuing. “We’re all heading the same direction! We can walk together.”

Naruto grumbles, but recognizes a warning when it crushes his shoulder and wisely doesn’t protest. Sai seems mildly surprised, which by Sai’s standards means he’s been metaphorically punched in the gut.

“…alright.”

“Maa, Sakura, do you need an escort home?”

“Ha! I’d like to see the guy who tries to give me trouble in this town.” Sakura declares, punching her fist into her open palm with glee. “I’d like to see his _face_ smeared across the pavement!”

“…okay then.” Kakashi rubs the back of his neck, already stepping away from the aura of murderous intent his once-sweetest student gives off. “See you all tomorrow.”

A chorus of _bye sensei’s_ follows his puff of smoke and the boys wave as Sakura heads in the opposite direction before beginning their own troop home. Iruka lets Naruto go, but he sticks close anyway, their elbows sometimes bumping as the younger man gesticulates wildly during their conversation. Sai trails them at a short distance but remains close enough to politely answer the few questions Iruka sends his way.

Nothing too personal, Iruka knows high level ninja better than that, but enough to get an idea of how much of the boy’s personality is defense mechanism and how much is genuine.

As Sai walks, he finds himself agreeing with statements like _yes, the grocer’s refurbishment was an improvement, but he preferred the old logo_ (which wasn’t even an opinion he was aware he _had_ ) and enjoying the easy flow of banter between sensei and old student. In fact, with Iruka at hand Naruto seems less inclined to lash out at Sai either verbally or physically which was good data to have. By the time they part ways at the cross junction to Sai’s apartment complex, he finds himself wondering when they’ll see each other again.

“Sleep well, Sai.” Iruka says pleasantly, “And take care of yourself tomorrow. Don’t let Naruto push you around on the road.”

“Hey, I don’t do that! Argh – _sensei_!” Naruto’s words are quickly cut off by a rough pat on the head and Sai feels the sudden urge to smile at the display of rough affection.

“Thank you, Sensei.” Sai says, and means it. “I wish you well at the Academy tomorrow.”

“See you around, kiddo!”

And that’s what _really_ makes Sai freeze up, partially because both of his companions are already turned away and won’t see it. _Kiddo_. No one’s ever given him a nickname before. By the time he gets back into his apartment, his cheeks are sore from smiling.

“Maa, Sensei, are you trying to steal another one of my students?”

“You’re not their sensei anymore.” Iruka throws back Kakashi’s frequent reminder, before blushing a bit and rubbing the back of his neck. “But I may have overstepped a little tonight. It’s not like I really know the kid.”

“Don’t worry about it.” Kakashi shrugs, falling into step beside him on the road to his apartment which is further out of the way from Naruto’s than he lets on. He’s a little peeved Iruka didn’t even _jump_ when he showed up. “You’re a serial parental figure. You see an orphan; you fill a void.”

“So, he _is_ an orphan?”

Oops, Iruka probably isn’t cleared to know anything about Sai’s personal life, Kakashi thinks but isn’t really sorry about it. He shrugs, “Or as good as, far as I can figure. He’s pretty stuck to Naruto and Sakura at this point, so having you, too, is probably good for him.”

“I think this is one of those time’s you’re not giving yourself enough credit, Kakashi.” Iruka says softly.

“Huh? What do you mean? I wasn’t even on the team for the first two missions when they all did their weird bonding thing.”

“But you taught them the weird, bonding thing.” Iruka reminds him. “Naruto actually, literally hates Sai’s guts, but since he’s part of the _team_ now, he can’t help loving him anyway. I don’t know how you do that.”

“It’s not always a good thing.” Kakashi replies, looking up at the moon and thinking about a very different full moon several years earlier.

“But in Sai’s case it is.” Iruka says, bumping their elbows together to pull him from the reverie. They’ve come to a stop outside Iruka’s apartment building now and he nods toward the door. “Coming up tonight?”

“Early morning mission start.” Kakashi says, apologetic. Iruka just smiles, shaking his head.

“New book?”

“Maa, busted.” Kakashi shrugs and Iruka laughs.

“Good night, then.” He says, briefly taking Kakashi’s hand in his and squeezing. “Be safe.”

“I’ll see you after.” Kakashi promises, squeezing back and pressing their foreheads together. “Try not to adopt anyone else while I’m gone.”

And then Iruka doesn’t even mind when he shunshins away, always stealing the last word. He’s already considering what favors he’d need to call in to get his hands on an ANBU-level personnel file, just to satisfy his own curiosity.


End file.
